It is quite common in the processing of aggregate material such as gravel, loam, sand, stones, and other earth material that the material must be sorted or processed according to the size of rocks or other debris which is found in the material. Prior art systems and methods have dealt extensively with this problem however, to date, no solution has been provided which provides a method of easily and quickly utilizing the normal digging action of aggregate material processing equipment such as an excavator or loader, to screen or processed the aggregate material.
For example, many prior art solutions have included providing a screen along the top or entrance portion of the aggregate processing equipment. Using this equipment and method, the aggregate processing equipment fills a hopper such as a loader or excavator with material to be processed. Next, a screen or other similar restriction is placed on top of the entrance to the excavation equipment. The aggregate equipment processor hopper is then tilted such that gravity causes the aggregate contained in the hopper to spill out of the hopper. Only that the aggregate material which is small enough to fit between and through the screen or other restriction placed on top of the entrance of the hopper escapes. What remains in the hopper is aggregate material which is larger than the screen or restriction. The aggregate processing equipment must then be moved to a different pile to empty what remains in the hopper.
Although in theory this system and method works, a significant amount of activity and movement of the excavation equipment hopper is required in order to force the smaller aggregate material past the larger aggregate material and through the screen or restriction placed at the entrance to the hopper. This takes a considerable amount of time and activity by the equipment operator. Moreover, the excavator must be modified and fitted with additional hydraulics including pipes, fittings, hoses, valves, cylinders, controls, etc. in order to use such equipment.
In another prior art system and method, a screen, forks or other similar aggregate sizing element is placed in the bottom of the hopper. The hopper is next filled with aggregate material to be processed. Subsequently, the screen or forks are moved mechanically through the entire contents of the aggregate material found in the hopper. Only material which is too large to pass through the screen or forks remains on top of the screen or forks. The operator of the aggregate processing equipment must then move the equipment in one location and carefully allow the larger aggregate to fall into one pot and then subsequently moved the equipment to another position to dump the contents of the hopper which has been screen.
Other various methods which combine the prior art techniques described above or our slight variations on these techniques have also been attempted. Unfortunately, such prior art attempts have fallen short of an ideal aggregate processing method in that they require multiple operator steps and at times require the operator to significantly shake or moves the excavation equipment for the sorting and processing to take place. The fact that the prior art methods take significant additional time and requires significantly more modification translates into significant additional costs for processing aggregate material since the cost of an equipment operator as well as the cost of an operating piece of equipment are not insubstantial.
Accordingly, a need exists for a quick and simple method for using a piece of excavation equipment to process and sort aggregate material.